Free Heaven Saga 2: Sands of Aquarius by Marcus Johnson Page B

One
cannot go wrong following such a person.”
    “What
if he strays?”
    “When
that day comes he’ll learn from the mistake.”
    “So
how do you think he looks in that suit?”
    Zae
smiled. “Good. Saying that, he’d look great wearing anything.”
    “Or
wearing nothing at all,” Seles said while blushing.
    Zae
rolled her eyes. “Only you and a few others would know.”
    “Just
wait, he’ll throw the rose to you next time.”

Chapter 11 - The Festival
     
    Valis
sat alone in the back of a black hover car and looked out at the city outside.
She wore a dark blue dress and a silver tiara with a necklace of Kali on her
neck. She was made up as well, sparkling in the dark of the vehicle. She smiled
as she looked at herself in the window. After a few minutes the hover car
landed outside the complex Brian lived in. Kivi stood outside, impatiently
waiting.
    Valis
stepped out and walked over to Kivi. “Is he ready?”
    Kivi
smiled. “My, you look gorgeous if I may say so.”
    “Somehow
I get the impression you’re making fun of me,” Valis said, noticing Kivi bite
back a laugh. “Where is he?”
    Kivi
glanced back at the door to the apartment. “He’s been in there for hours.”
    “And
I rushed to get ready,” Valis said with faux disappointment in her voice.
    Brian
stood in his apartment wearing a dark black and green suit with a dark green
cape, along with the rakna on his belt. He checked himself one more time
before walking out the door. He saw Kivi and Valis chatting down below in the
street in. He couldn’t take his eyes off of Valis for a moment as he walked
down the stairs.
    “You
look lovely captain,” he said before kneeling and kissing her gloved hand. “I’d
be honored to join you this evening.” He stood back up.
    “I’m
glad I’ll have you at my side this evening,” she said before nodding to Kivi.
She motioned for Brian to get in the hover car. “Kivi, I trust you’ll get the
job done.”
    “Yes
captain,” Kivi said.
    She
stepped into the hover car with Brian.
    “What
job are you talking about?” Brian asked when the car began to fly to the Kein
Estate.
    “Daes
has something she’s working on. She thinks she can mass produce craft similar
to the Mjolnir at lower cost,” she turned to Brian, “You do know how much that
monster cost?”
    Brian
laughed. “I could’ve bought a light class ship for that much money. Is she
going to use the Talon prototype?”
    “That’s
what she told me,” Valis said.  “If she succeeds, the Avoni will have the
fighting power of an Original Five ship.” Brian looked like he wanted to say
something when she waved him off. “I think that’s enough on this subject for
tonight.”
    “Of
course,” he said.
    “By
the way, Celestia sends her regards.”
    “I’m
sure she loves all the documents I sent her on forming a government.”
    Valis
cracked a grin. “She’s chosen a parliamentary system rather than the one your
homeland uses.”
    “I’d
have to agree with that decision.”
    “Why
do you say that?” she asked as she leaned forward.
    “My
homeland’s system is inefficient. I admire the spirit of which it was born, but
not the reality of what I saw before leaving Earth.”
    “Ideals
always sound better in the realm of dreams, not in the world we live in,” Valis
looked out the window, “The Kein family thought ideals alone would change the
Kalaidian people,” she paused. “But it didn’t. It took a single Terran to change
what we thought impossible,” She looked Brian in the eye, “Reality isn’t
perfect, like the ideals in our minds, but what you’ve done is a start. Because
of you my people can dream once more.”
    “But
one can’t live on dreams alone.”
    “Of
course, but one can’t live without dreams either,” Valis countered. “So let me
ask you, what is it you dream about?”
    “I
don’t know where to start.” He took a minute to think. “The dream I have is a
world without war, without hate, without